diff --git a/docker/btcd/Dockerfile b/docker/btcd/Dockerfile
index 66664155..e2445750 100644
--- a/docker/btcd/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/btcd/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM golang:1.12-alpine as builder
+FROM golang:1.18-alpine as builder
 
 MAINTAINER Olaoluwa Osuntokun <laolu@lightning.network>
 
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index 9e777408..f3be6325 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ services:
     image: ruimarinho/bitcoin-core:0.21.1
     container_name: bitcoin-core
     volumes:
-      - ~/.bitcoin:/home/bitcoin/.bitcoin
+      - bitcoin:/home/bitcoin/.bitcoin
     ports:
       - 8332:8332
       - 18332:18332
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ services:
     depends_on:
       - "tor-node"
     volumes:
-      - ~/.lnd:/root/.lnd
+      - lnd_client_dir:/root/.lnd
       - tor-dir:/var/lib/tor
     ports:
       - 10009:10009
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ services:
       - 10010:10009
       - 9835:9835
     volumes:
-      - ~/.lightning:/root/.lightning
+      - clightning_client_dir:/root/.lightning
       - tor-dir:/var/lib/tor
     links:
       - "bitcoin-core:bitcoin-core"
@@ -151,8 +151,14 @@ services:
     entrypoint: ["./entrypoint.sh"]
 
 volumes:
+  bitcoin:
+    driver: local
+  lnd_client_dir:
+    driver: local
   lnd_server_dir:
     driver: local
+  clightning_client_dir:
+    driver: local
   clightning_server_dir:
     driver: local
   squeaknode_dir:
diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index 10e464db..8a78548a 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ You can also run your own squeaknode on your host machine.
 	pip install .
 	```
 
-- Make sure that `~/.lnd` directory (created by docker container) has read permissions. You may need to change the permissions:
+- Copy the `~/.lnd` directory from the docker container to your host machine.
 	```
-	sudo chmod -R 755 ~/.lnd/
+	docker cp lnd_client:/root/.lnd/ ~/.lnd
 	```
 
 - Run squeaknode with authentication disabled:
diff --git a/itests/generate_blocks.sh b/itests/generate_blocks.sh
index fb1d1c25..509c33eb 100755
--- a/itests/generate_blocks.sh
+++ b/itests/generate_blocks.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 
 while true; do
     client_address=$(docker exec -it test_lnd_client lncli --network=simnet newaddress np2wkh | jq .address -r)
-    MINING_ADDRESS=$client_address docker-compose up -d btcd
+    MINING_ADDRESS=$client_address docker compose up -d btcd
     echo "Mining 1 blocks to address: $client_address ..."
-    docker-compose run btcctl generate 400
+    docker compose run btcctl generate 400
     sleep 10
 done
diff --git a/itests/run_itest.sh b/itests/run_itest.sh
index f42c298e..8a8e6122 100755
--- a/itests/run_itest.sh
+++ b/itests/run_itest.sh
@@ -6,16 +6,16 @@ trap "kill 0" EXIT
 function mine_blocks {
     while true; do
 	printf "Mining 1 block to address: $MINING_ADDRESS ..."
-	docker-compose run btcctl generate 1
+	docker compose run btcctl generate 1
 	sleep 1
     done
 }
 
 
 cd itests
-docker-compose down --volumes --remove-orphans
-docker-compose build
-docker-compose up -d
+docker compose down --volumes --remove-orphans
+docker compose build
+docker compose up -d
 
 # Initialize the blockchain with miner rewards going to the test client.
 
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ do
     sleep 2
 done
 
-MINING_ADDRESS=$client_address docker-compose up -d btcd
+export MINING_ADDRESS="$client_address docker compose up -d btcd"
 echo "Mining 400 blocks to address: $client_address ..."
-docker-compose run btcctl generate 400
+docker compose run btcctl generate 400
 echo "Finished mining blocks."
 sleep 30
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ mine_blocks &
 echo "Background mining task is in background..."
 
 echo "Running test.sh...."
-docker-compose run test ./test.sh
+docker compose run test ./test.sh
 
 echo "Shutting down itest..."
-# docker-compose down
+# docker compose down
diff --git a/itests/tests/test_squeak_node.py b/itests/tests/test_squeak_node.py
index 207e17d8..642eb264 100644
--- a/itests/tests/test_squeak_node.py
+++ b/itests/tests/test_squeak_node.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from tests.util import delete_squeak
 from tests.util import download_squeak
 from tests.util import download_squeak_secret_key
 from tests.util import free_price
+from tests.util import get_balance
 from tests.util import get_external_address
 from tests.util import get_hash
 from tests.util import get_network
@@ -607,6 +608,18 @@ def test_delete_peer(admin_stub, peer_id):
 
 def test_send_coins(admin_stub, other_admin_stub):
     new_address_response = admin_stub.LndNewAddress(ln.NewAddressRequest())
+    get_balance_response = get_balance(
+        other_admin_stub,
+    )
+    print("Get balance: {}".format(get_balance_response))
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------")
+    print("--------------------", flush=True)
     send_coins_response = send_coins(
         other_admin_stub, new_address_response.address, 55555555
     )
diff --git a/itests/tests/util.py b/itests/tests/util.py
index ae358305..d85c3f7f 100644
--- a/itests/tests/util.py
+++ b/itests/tests/util.py
@@ -437,6 +437,13 @@ def disconnect_peer(node_stub, pubkey):
     )
 
 
+def get_balance(node_stub):
+    get_balance_request = lnd_pb2.WalletBalanceRequest()
+    return node_stub.LndWalletBalance(
+        get_balance_request,
+    )
+
+
 def send_coins(node_stub, addr, amount):
     send_coins_request = lnd_pb2.SendCoinsRequest(
         addr=addr,